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Response
In Matthew 5:39, Jesus instructed His disciples, “Do not resist an evil person.” This instruction is part of the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus delivered in Matthew 5—7. During this sermon, Jesus covered various topics such as anger, sexual immorality, marriage, fasting, relationships, and more. Through this sermon, He educated His disciples on living a pure and righteous life before God and others.
When Jesus advises, “Do not resist an evil person,” He is revealing God’s desire for how we should treat those who harm us. The context is as follows: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek as well. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, give them your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles“ (Matthew 5:38-41). Instead of seeking vengeance, Jesus instructs us to “turn the other cheek.” In essence, we should embrace humility and strive for peace with those who have wronged us.
It is important to understand that when Jesus says, “Do not resist an evil person,” He is not mandating that we become pacifists or never oppose evil. In fact, James 4:7 and 1 Peter 5:9 urge us to resist the devil and his wicked schemes. If a believer or their loved ones are in danger or under attack, it is not inappropriate to defend oneself or seek rightful justice against the offender. What Jesus emphasizes by instructing us not to resist an evil person is to refrain from retaliation. We should not repay in kind, nor should we seek retribution. Moreover, when the offense is merely a personal insult, we can choose to overlook it entirely.
By refraining from seeking revenge or retaliation against those who have personally harmed us, we can actually demonstrate to them
What is God like? God, in His grace, does not retaliate against those who wrong Him; He does not try to “get even” with sinners. Instead, God invites them into a relationship with Himself and, in Christ, offers to forgive them of their sins.
Perhaps the most important reason we should not resist an evil person is that Jesus Himself did not. Jesus practiced what He preached. When He was arrested and crucified, Jesus did not fight back or resist. He did not seek revenge or try to “get even” with His tormentors. Instead, He loved them, died for them, and asked His Heavenly Father to forgive them for the wrong they committed «Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. », (Luke 23:34). Following Jesus’ example, we should not resist an evil person. We, too, can choose to love and forgive those who have wronged us.
As believers, we should not resist an evil person. The Lord teaches us that it’s wrong to retaliate and seek revenge, and we should model the example of our Savior. The apostle Paul sums it up in Romans 12:21: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
